what are the global implications, if, in fact, we do go over the fiscal cliff? >> very bad if it happens. everyone hopes it doesn't. i mean i think right now you would expect people to be flatly rejecting the other side's proposal. i mean, there's going to be -- >> 29 days? >> it's going to be a really tough negotiation. the expectation, by the way, in the world is that you will sort it out. and if you do, i think the american economy, i would be probably more optimistic about the american economy right now than certainly any part of the rest of the western world. so if you can get this sorted out, you can really move forward, and therefore, i think now that your elections are out of the way, i'm just speaking as an outsider, now your election is out of the way, there's going to be all this bargaining and positions, but my expectations, i hope, and the desire of the world, is sorted out, and we can move on, and then sort our own problems out. >> for those of us in the united states, we see sort of what seems to be two intractable issues. republicans saying we wi